Comments

Abstract

Most states in the U.S. provide driver’s education manuals (DEMs) as instructional material for instruction of novice drivers. U.S. territories and other countries also provide DEMs. DEMs were requested from U.S. states and territories and acquired from a number of foreign sources. Content was examined relative to animals and safe driving. Of the 42 U.S. DEMs reviewed, 20 had specific advice about coping with animals on the road, 25 used signs involving animals as illustrations, 6 dealt specifically with deer, and 14 referred to farm animals (i.e., horseback riders, animal drawn vehicles, range animals). The Ontario, Canada, and Victoria, Australia, manuals provided a sizeable range of advice relative to animals and the road, whereas the United Kingdom and Ireland materials provided advice relative to livestock on the roads. The consideration given in DEMs to animal-related risks seems very limited, particularly in giving specific advice to anticipate and deal with potential or existing animal hazards.